Monday, July 21, 2008

Tonight I signed all the paper work for the house. Everyone told me that I would probably be having an anxiety attack while I was signing and would second guess myself, but this just feels right. My lawyer, who happens to be one of my best friend's husband, kept commenting on how calm I was. I think the Lord knew that I would need time, and so it took me over a year to find the right place and get my money together. Not to mention the 5 weeks of haggling over the price. As I was signing all the forms I couldn't help but think how unnecessary all this would be if everyone were honest.

I think I may also be starting to have decision overload. Between picking paint and counter tops and outlet covers, I'm starting to worry that I will make the wrong choice. I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter in the end, but I can't help being a little crazy.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

I just bought a townhouse. I get possession on July 31st. It's in what Americans call Escrow. All the pictures are for my mum's benefit who gave me my wedding money to help with the down payment. Let's just say, if I get married anytime in the next few years, it will be peanut butter sandwiches. The picture don't do justice to the dirt, although it is much better than I thought is was going to be given what it looked like when I bought it. The tenants had 2 cats and all that that implies. It is a great location. I'm now a little further from church and the temple (17 minute walk), but closer the the grocery store, bank, library, dry cleaners (17 minute walk). Across the street is a great park that has the best playground equipment according to my primary kids. The bus stop is just out at the end of the complex. So let the tour begin.

My house is right ahead, with the blue car in front. My parking spot is next to it. This is the front entry.Turn right and here is the half bath. I really like having a bathroom right as you walk in for those times that you are pee-pee dancing from the bus stop. My plan to redo do this bathroom next year.

Turn left from the front entry and you are in the kitchen. I'm so excited to have a double sink. The appliances are a little old, but still work. I won't even begin to describe the disgustingness of the burners. The fridge is empty, but still smells.This would be the cabinets that I will keep bumping my head into. Why would someone put cabinets at both doors to the kitchen? I plan to put a kitchen table underneath to try and force myself to walk around instead of trying to cut corners. The cabinets are very ugly.

This is the dinning room. The door on the right is to the kitchen and the window on the left looks out on to my back patio. It's large enough for me to put all the leafs in my table and to have my china cabinet and one day a buffet.

Turn around from the last picture and this is the step down into my living room. I'm painting the entire house with the exception of my bedroom and the bathrooms, a creaming yellow called cornsilk. This is the ugly fire place. Another one of my projects. I want to redo the mantle and ledge.

Next we go down into the basement. This is going to be my sewing room/library for now. My long term plan is to make this my tv room, but since I'm going to rent out the bedrooms to help pay for all my renovations, I will be sewing in the basement.

I love my laundry room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can wait not to pay 4$ a load. The unfinished half of the basement. I place for my camping stuff, food storage and Christmas decorations. My furnace and hot water heater. More space for storage. And still more storage space.

The stairs to the second floor. Note that there is a landing and the stairs turn and go downstairs. This is going to be the tricky part for painting. I only have an articulating ladder, no scaffolding. I found a special edging roller which I'm hoping with work. If you have any suggestions for painting high walls over stairs let me know.

This is my bedroom. I'm going to paint it Raspberry Lemonade, ie pink. I decided this is the only time I'm going to get pink room, because the minute I'm married I will be painting again. The extremely ugly closet doors. Yet another thing I'm planning to replace eventually.

The iron burn in the medium size bedroom. I plan to replace all the carpet hopefully in the next 2 years. The medium size bedroom. The small bedroom. The linen closet.

The awful vanity. I'm putting in a maple vanity that is stained cherry. It turns out my mum has the exact same one. The flooring is going to be natural ribbon cork. Cork is great here because it is warm on the feet in the winter, without having to be in in-floor heating. The reason why I got such a good price on the place. I'm gutting the entire bathroom. Aside from the massive whole in the wall, this bathroom ranks up there of one of the dirtiest bathrooms I've seen. And that is saying something given what I saw on my mission. I'm putting in plain white tile with a glass blue accent row. The walls are going to be painted blue to match the accent row. The tub in going to be a soaker tub. The toilet is replusive. I'm putting in a Toto toilet. My plumber friend said that they are the best low flush out there. This medicine chest in is a wall that separates the toilet and the vanity. The wall holds the venting for the plumbing so I can't take it down. I'm going to take out the chest and just fill the fix the hole.

About Me

What can I say, I'm 35, flirty and single. I have a job that I love directly helping people with cancer in my province. I'm sewing up a storm making quilts and exploring my fashion creativity. I'm taking piano and starting to compose music to describe my feelings. My life is nothing like I expected it to be, but I own it.